A New Love
Chapter 12
Kagome sighed as she entered the house. It was Saturday and she had just left a small party at her friend's house to celebrate their recent graduation from high school.
"Mom, I'm home!" Kagome called.
"I'm in the kitchen, making dinner." Kagome joined her mother. "How's was your party?"
"It was fine." Kagome shrugged as she sat down at the kitchen table.
"It doesn't sound like you had any fun. What's wrong, honey? You have not seemed the same since you came back from the past three years ago."
"I grew up, Mom."
"Oh, Kagome, talk to me. You have not said one word about what happened in the summer after junior high."
"There is nothing to tell. We won the battle and the jewel is gone. Inuyasha and everyone else are happily living their lives 500 years in the past." Kagome said flatly. Mrs. Higurashi sat down across from her daughter.
"Kagome, you have not been yourself since that summer. I miss my happy, bubbly daughter. I know you are grown up, but I want you to be happy. I don't think you can be happy again until you maybe tell someone what happened to you." Mrs. Higurashi replied. Kagome was silent for several moments as she thought about what her mother had said.
"I fell in love." Kagome stated sadly.
"With who? I thought you mentioned that Inuyasha was married to Kikyo, so I'm guessing that you have not been missing Inuyasha for three years."
"With Inuyasha's older brother, Sesshomaru." Kagome answered quietly. "He is a full blooded demon."
"I thought you said he was evil."
"I was wrong. That's not a worst part. I think I told you about Rin, his human charge." Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "The day I went back after my junior high finals, Sesshomaru approached me seeking my help for Rin, who was very ill and he didn't know how to cure her. I traveled with Sesshomaru to his castle and stayed with Rin until she was better. We discovered that someone had placed a spell on her and decided to stage engagement of sorts while we finished finding the shards and defeating Naraku." Kagome stopped as she felt a lump form in her throat. "I never got to even say goodbye." The tears began to flow and Kagome put her head in her hands, sobbing.
"Oh, Kagome, dear. It will be all right."
"How? I have held my feelings in check for three years and I will never see him again!"
"I don't know, honey. I wish I knew what to tell you. Maybe it might be a good idea for you to visit the well house to find some closure so you can move on with your life." Something in her mother's voice made Kagome look up.
"How would I find closure there?"
"Because it is your connection to the past. Give it a try, honey. What could it hurt? Just go sit in there and let everything you have been holding back for so long flow through you."
"Maybe I will try it some time."
"I think you should try it now. Go face your past, Kagome." Mrs. Higurashi rose from her chair and went back to the stove to continue dinner.
Kagome rose as well and ventured outside towards the well house. She hadn't been inside or even near it since she had appeared back in the present. She slowly approached and slid open the door. It looked and smelled the same always inside. The tears threatened to fall again as she settled herself in front of the well. Taking her mother's suggestion, Kagome closed her eyes and let herself think about Sesshomaru. Her tears flowed freely as she let the memories out.
"My dear Sesshomaru, I never got the chance to say goodbye, so after so long of hoping I would be able to see you again somehow, I am going to say goodbye to you to have the chance to continue on with my life. I will always love you, Sesshomaru." Kagome sniffled, rose to her feet, and turned to leave the well. Her mother was standing in the doorway.
"How are you doing, dear?"
"I feel some peace at least. I'm always going to love Sesshomaru and want to see him, but I understand that will never be able to that." Mrs. Higurashi hugged her daughter tightly. She saw light coming from the well.
"Kagome, that light!" Kagome whirled around and saw the light that she thought she would never see again. It was the light that had taken her back to the past countless times.
"Mom..."
"Go, Kagome. Be happy, my darling daughter." They hugged again and Kagome turned back to the well and took the jump that she hoped would change her life.
The clear blue sky of the Feduel era appeared above Kagome seconds later. She climbed out of the well and breathed in the fresh air of the past. Everything looked the same. Deciding to head to the villiage, Kagome walked casually in the late afternoon sunshine. She wasn't surprised when she was about halfway to the village, she felt an all too familiar half demon approaching her.
"Kagome, it is really you?" Inuyasha asked as he stopped in front her. Kagome smiled.
"Unless I am dreaming, I am really here." He pulled her into a quick hug.
"I'm glad to see you. Everyone will be so surprised. Much has changed since you have been gone."
The changes included Miroku and Sango marrying and having twin girls and a new baby boy. Inuyasha and Kikyo had settled in the village to be near Kaede and the others. Rin was living with Kaede to learn to be around humans again.
Kagome spent the evening in Miroku and Sango's home, playing with the dinner, Inuyasha and Miroku left to make sure the village would be safe for the night. Kagome helped settle the children down the night and then went outside. Sango sighed as she joined Kagome outside to gaze at the night sky.
"So you haven't asked the one question I know you have to be dying to ask. He comes through here every few days to check on Rin."
"That's nice of him."
"Kagome, is something wrong?"
"No, Sango, I feel better than I have in a long time. As far as Sesshomaru goes, I wish him well if he wants nothing to do with me."
"I thought you two had an agreement. I haven't seen him with anyone else. What makes you think that he won't want to continue your relationship?"
"Because the relationship was fake. We only were together to protect Rin. At the time, it seemed like a good idea, but now it just seems silly." Kagome explained.
"But your feelings for him were not fake." Sango stated.
"No, they were not fake. I have spent the last three years wanting nothing more than to see him again." Kagome wiped tears from her eyes before they could fall.
"Then this Sesshomaru is happy to grant your wish." Kagome gasped at the sound of his voice. He was standing in the shadows of the hut.
"Sesshomaru..."
"Can we speak alone for a moment?" He asked.
"I will go check on the children. Nice to see you again, Lord Sesshomaru." Sango disappeared into her house. Kagome turned back to face Sesshomaru.
"How have you been faring, my lord?" Kagome asked conversationly. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at her question
"I am well, miko. And yourself?"
"I'm good." She answered. "What brings you here this evening?"
"I was checking on Rin and I detected your scent in the area. I decided to investigate. Where have you been all this time?"
"Inuyasha didn't explain anything?"
"He tried, but it made no sense."
"What did he tell you?"
"Does it matter right now? We can discuss that at another time." Sesshomaru said, an annoyed tone entering his voice.
"If you wish, my lord. What did you wish to discuss this evening?"
"Will you be staying permanently this time?"
"Yes, I believe so. I have only just arrived back in the area so I haven't given much thought to my living situation yet. Why do you ask, my lord?"
"Because we need to discuss your departure and our arrangement."
"Our arrangement was temporary and my departure was not voluntary. Inuyasha must have at least explained that much to you." Kagome said in exasperation.
"Yes, he said you had no choice."
"Then what could there possibly be to discuss? You have made it clear how much you dislike humans." Sesshomaru cautiously stepped closer to her. "Need I remind that I am human?"
"I do, for the most part, hate humans, but there are exceptions to every rule and you are a beautiful exception. Will you stay with me as my mate, my lady, my love?" Sesshomaru placed his hand on her cheek gently. Kagome smiled widely at the similiar statement from her dream so long ago.
"I thought you would never ask." Sesshomaru gathered her into his arms and kissed her passionately.
"Welcome home, my love."
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